Talk to me
by Lectura35
Summary: During her time at Shell Cottage, Hermione holds meaningful conversations with Fleur, Luna, and Ron.   And she relishes in the new openness with her beloved man.


_Written as a very belated Birthday gift for the amazing **otterandterrier, **whom I love dearly :)_

**Title:** Talk to me

**Disclaimer:** All the characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I´m just playing and enjoying with them.

**A/N:** Thanks a lot to the wonderful **pili204** for her beta work. She owns my heart :)

* * *

**Talk to me**

I knew that the moment my body finally laid on a bed for a whole night, everything would become more painful. I am sore and dizzy beyond anything I have ever experienced.

Even though the sleeping potion is strong, I can feel his eyes on me and his breath mingling with mine on the pillow. It _is_ strong, but not enough to prevent the shivers attacking my body every now and then. In these moments, I hold onto his hand tighter and he just caresses my hair.

"I'm cold." It's just a mumble, my voice.

He arranges the blanket higher around my shoulders.

"Better?"

I only nod, too exhausted to speak. I know I'll be embarrassed tomorrow, but now I get to say the one important thing.

"Don't go."

"No way in hell."

The light in the room is slowly fading.

And the knot in my chest makes me wonder if I will ever be able to sleep alone again.

* * *

"May I come in?"

"Yes, yes, please. I'm awake."

"'Ow do you feel, 'Ermione?"

"A bit better. It still hurts everywhere… but I feel better."

"Glad to know" She looks around as looking for something… for _someone._ "Uhm… did Ron stay 'ere for ze night?"

I turned scarlet at her question and suddenly realize that two unrelated young persons sharing a bed, even in my fragile present circumstances, is something that probably the Weasleys wouldn't allow or look good upon.

"Yes, he did. I'm sorry if it was inappropriate but I just couldn't sleep, and I was shaking all over and Ron just held my hand during the night and it…"

"No, no… don't worry, 'Ermione. It is evident zat what you need is company."

I blush deeper as she emphasizes the word "_his" _in her frenchie English. - "It is more zan perfect. I was just… asking."

We remain silent for a moment or two, studying the bedclothes. It´s weird trying to share something with Fleur. We don't know much about each other. At least nothing more than the obvious. She is so much more now that the pretentious Veela I used to dislike. She is gorgeous and devoted to being Bill´s wife, and I am Ron´s… well, I really don´t know what I´m to him. I hope. I wish. I'm almost convinced in some way, but I still don't know for sure.

"'Ermione, I really don´t want to upset you, but I 'ave a question."

She looks uncomfortable. Even the typical motion of pushing her hair back betrays her uneasiness.

I nod wordlessly, fearing that she'll ask something about Harry or our mission. Something I can't answer.

"It's obvious you were… '_urt… _and in order to 'elp you, I need to know if you somehow were… _injured_ in a more inteemate way".

"NO!"

My scream startles her. It startles _me_. And the tears stream down with force once again.

"Oh... I'm so sorry, so sorry… please… but I needed to ask you zis."

"I understand." I quickly wonder how long it'll take for my voice to stop being a sad murmur.

She takes one of my hands in hers and tries to comfort me.

"I did take care of _that_, you know. While we were at The Burrow for your wedding, I knew that I needed to learn the spell and I cast it on me. Just in case. We're in war… and the _Cruciatus _curse is not the only risk for a girl. Especially for a Muggle girl, like me."

Her hold on my hand tightens and her eyes show something like… _admiration_?

"You are vairy brave, you know?"

My answer comes as a new stream of tears.

"So you cast a contraception spell on you just in case some bastard attacks you. Zat is truly a valid reason but…" She hesitates before continuing. "…but does Ron 'ave nothing to do in your decision, 'Ermione?"

I feel her gaze intense and deep, almost as she is trying to look through me. And I don't know what to say. I don't want to lie... but I don't know what she would think of me.

"I lived with the boys for months and I trust both of them with my life, Fleur. I know they would never take advantage of that situation. I know Ron would never take advantage of me."

With each word my sobs become more intense. "I know he would give his life for me." By the time I reach the last sentence I can't even breathe because the truth of my own words hits me in a way I can't handle. "Ron is… Oh God… Ron would really die for me."

Fleur comes closer and gives in a sisterly hug while she cries with me. She hugs me till I stop gasping and find enough force to talk again.

"We're not together".

"But you know you will."

I gape at her with wide eyes. Will it be possible that my emotional state lead all my words, or the lack of them?

She speaks softly, as she is afraid of a new outburst, or even afraid of offending me.

"'Ave you ever had a talk with your muzzer or anuzzer woman about zis kind of issues?"

"Well, I read as much as I could and my mum taught me the basics… but during the past years I haven't share too much time with her."

Mum. Dad. The sting of guilt and longing caves a deeper hold in my heart every time I think about them.

"Fine. So I zink we need to 'ave a girly talk."

"I'm not very girly…"

"But you're the girl my bruzzer-in-law is in love with."

I open my mouth to say something. Anything. But she doesn't let me. "And you're a friend to me… or I 'ope we become good friends. Would you like zat?"

I smile with gratitude. It goes far beyond the fact that this woman is taking care of me. I smile with complete gratitude because she is giving for a certainty what I wish with my all heart.

"You know zere are charms and tricks really useful that you won't find in any book. Ze sort of advices zat an older witch gives to a younger one. And as much I know Molly adores you, I'm sure she won't teach zese spell to the girl dating 'er baby boy..."

We laugh together for the first time. It's a short, quiet laugh. But it's there. And it means the world in my present situation.

"Thanks _so_ much, Fleur… thanks for everything."

She smiles a very secret smile. I hope some day I will understand its significance.

"Anything for ze family, 'Ermione."

* * *

"Hi..."

"Hi…"

He hesitates at the doorframe, looking shy and slightly nervous. It is amazing how daylight changes all the impressions. Last night, he looked determined about staying with me, about holding me. It's obvious that with the morning, spontaneity is harder to reach and old doubts return with ease.

"Did you eat something?"

"Not yet... Fleur is sending Luna up with breakfast."

"Fine. You need to eat to recover faster."

"All right."

"I took a shower…"

"Good. That´s good… I´ll take one myself when I get up."

"Yeah…"

If I weren't feeling so tattered, I'd surely roll my eyes at the fact that we sound like idiots.

"Are you hurting?"

"Just a bit… but I was able to sleep."

"Yes, after a good while you finally fell asleep… I was here, watching you."

"Yes, I remember you spent the night here."

"Luna was here too, you know."

I know Luna was here too. But the important thing is that _he _was here_._ If I could only find a way to tell him that.

But the way finds me instead. Because after the agony I went trough, I just don't have any more strength in me to keep pretending.

"I… I´m afraid, Ron… I´m afraid of _being afraid_ of the night. I don´t know if I´ll be able to spend a night alone again without panicking…"

And suddenly, as so often things happen in life, his next words settle a moment of definition.

"You won´t need to do it alone. I´ll help you"

Because sometimes you need to take the audacity to change things; otherwise, _nothing_ will ever change.

This doesn't mean that we both don't freeze at his declaration.

It isn't anything like, "_I´ll help you with Buckbeack´s trial."_ He's just said he will help me… to spend the night.

He has just said he _will sleep with me_.

"I'll be there for you, I mean… I mean…"

"You don't need to clarify it, Ron." The longing is surely written all over my face. "I understand what you meant…"

"NO."

"No?"

"_Iwanttospendthenightwithyou_… because I want everything with you… And I won't take it back."

"You won't?"

If I only could stop repeating his words, maybe I could understand what he is _actually_ saying.

Maybe I could understand what he is actually showing me, with his body language and the sweetest expression I've ever seen on him.

And surely I could understand that the way he crossed the room in two steps and how he is now seated in front of me, cradling my neck with both hands and resting our foreheads together is an open declaration of… _love._

"Hermione, I… I lo–"

"Me too." I interrupt him. Totally on purpose. Totally in tears. "Me too. You just don´t know what you…" I try to compose myself to be able to continue. "…but we need to talk about lots of things first._"_

He looks like he understands my request but doesn't let go his firm hold on me. Instead, he brushes my tears. There is nobody like Ron to brush my tears away.

There is nobody like him to initiate them, either.

"Okay, sure…. We´ll talk first… Just let me tell you that if yesterday you wouldn´t have made it, I don´t know what I would have done…"

"I know. I know what you tried to do. I know what you _did_."

"I did _nothing_."

"You really have no idea, Ron…"

He gives a deep sigh and then asks the question I've been waiting years to hear.

"Do you think that… after this entire _thing_ finishes, we could…"

"Yes."

"Are you sure of…?"

"_Please_."

It seems I haven't seen one of those gorgeous smiles of him in ages. And it's such a pity because he glows with those smiles.

"Then you should take your shower and, if you feel strong enough, we could take a little walk down the beach, okay?

* * *

As Ron leaves the room to give me some privacy, Luna enters carrying a superb breakfast tray. It´s obvious that all the efforts in this house are put in helping me recover my energies. After all those months of isolation, it is so charming to have someone taking care of us in that way.

"Thank you."

"No problem. Fleur is really interested in feeding you up. She is a good woman, you know."

"Yes, she is."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I choke on my tea. I don´t know why I´m that surprised, that kind of sincerity is _so_ Luna´s.

But no. I don´t want to talk about _it. _I´m still too horrified to even try to remember.

"Talking helps a lot, Hermione."

She states it in the same easy manner as she talks about Nargles, or her taste for good pudding. Luna is the only person I've met who's capable of using in the same sentence the words "torture" and "dessert" without even blinking.

I worship that about her.

Sometimes I can´t stand that about her.

"I´m not sure this is the right moment, Luna. But thanks anyway."

"You are welcome."

I make a good effort to change the subject, but she doesn't want me to.

"Eh… after eating, I´m going to go outside for a little while…"

"With Ronald."

It´s not a question.

"Yes, some fresh air will help me."

"He is in love with you."

Again. From nothing, her deepest thoughts.

"…"

"He was desperate down there."

My God, please. _I don´t want talk. I don't want to hear that._

"You weren't alone. He was screaming all the time trying to get to you."

Stop it now, Luna.

"There is one good thing about awful memories."

I´m with Ron. She _is_ quite a thing.

"W-what could be good about awful memories? What are you talking about?" I ask with sincere curiosity. This has to be interesting.

I´m tearing up for the hundredth time in the morning.

"If it is a memory, it´s not happening any more. It is over, Hermione"

_It is over._

"As hurtful as memories of your torture can be, they aren't even close to the torture itself, so that is a very good thing."

_It is over._

Luna is the only person I've met who can use in the same sentence the words "torment" and "good" with the best of meanings and without even blinking.

I really love everything about her_._

_

* * *

_

The guards around Shell Cottage don't allow us to go too far away, but we manage to take a nice walk near the sea, where we can enjoy of some time of our own.

It's amazing how difficult it is for us to cross that line. We swing between daring confessions and shyness. We both know we're not coming back from this conversation being the same persons. And the prospect is exhilarant and shocking at once. We're leaving the comfort zone of our usual silent or rowing style of communication, of our usual _silent misunderstandings_, and putting everything into words. Finally.

I still can´t believe it.

"You go first."

"Me? Well… I could start by saying that I hated all about our fourth year."

"Really?"

"If you're going to make fun of me…"

Damm that Weasley temper. God. "No! I´m just being… sarcastic. I couldn't make fun of you because I hated a lot about our fourth year, too."

"You did?"

Is it just my imagination… or he does sound hopeful?

"Honestly? I felt like an idiot because I couldn´t even enjoy the fact that a famous Quidditch player was flattering me, paying attention to me, because we'd fought… you and me I mean, and what you said was _so_ important… and I hated you because all you said was so important to me."

"I was the idiot. I treated you so poorly, Hermione. And I´m so sorry… but when I saw you with Krum, looking all gorgeous and smiling, enjoying yourself so much… I just got mad."

"I was _trying_ to enjoy myself. And I almost, _almost_, managed to because if there is one thing I'm sure of since I have memory, Ron, is that I would never put myself down for a bloke, no matter how much the boy in question means to me or how much he breaks my heart." I look at him intently now, and he keeps my gaze.

"I know. I guess you had the right to have a nice date but… but what hurt me the most was that you _lied_ to me. I asked you thousands of times what had happened between you and him, and you always repeated you were only pen mates… and when I discovered that you two had snogged–"

"He kissed me. He kissed me once, before his departure. In the meantime, I enjoyed his company, his attentions, and tried to understand why I was so upset and so angry with you. We always had fought; but suddenly, it had turned more _personal_, it took another level for me. But only for me."

"It wasn't only for you, but don't change the subject. What happened when he… kissed you? And why you didn't tell me?"

"Nothing happened, Ron! It was a chaste kiss on the lips. I felt nothing, and after letting him… I knew that no matter how much I tried, he wasn't the right bloke for me. I told him I wasn't interested in nothing more than his friendship. And he took it like a gentleman, so I always honored his camaraderie. He kept writing to me even though I was a fifteen years girl who had rejected him!"

"Pff… he was just waiting for you to grow up and then–"

"Ron!"

"Fine, fine, I´m sorry!"

He still looks quizzically at me, and I know exactly what he wants to know. And I know I'm going to bare my soul by telling him.

"I didn't tell you because, at first, I knew you would have teased me to death, and then I finally realized that I wanted… I wanted _you _to have been my first kiss and I was afraid that somehow you would think that… that I wasn't worth the work of _courting_ me, of _flirting_ with me anymore because someone else had kissed me first. It is stupid… but I thought that if I told you your opinion about me would change… and you would look for another girl to snog. And that's what happened in the end…"

He looks so tender in this moment. He is looking at me like… in awe. And when he finally speaks, he cups my face. "I could never think anything bad about you. Never. On the contrary, I always thought I was so _undeserving_ of you."

"What? Why?'"

"Why? Come on, Hermione! You´re not exactly easy to please. Your expectations for everybody are so high."

"But I never underestimated you"

"_Almost _never. There were times… when I received my Prefect's badge, for example, you were surprised. _Too_ surprised for my taste."

I remember and I feel mortified. He is right.

"I´m sorry about that. I guess I was in the post-denying phase."

"Excuse me?"

"I was trying to convince myself that in spite of fancying you, we were just so opposite that we couldn't be together without hexing each other at the end of the day. I tried to cheer you up when you were down because I really wanted to see you happy; I wanted to see you smile. _I love seeing you smile_."

That last sentence slips out of my mouth by its own accord. "But at times, I allowed my doubts and my anxiety to guide me… and I wasn't very supportive. I'm so sorry about that."

I´m crying again. I feel a mix of embarrassment, relief, grief, and love all at the same time.

"Please, don´t cry. At least don´t cry because of that. I´ve made you cry so many times."

"Don´t worry. I need to cry now. And I need to talk about all of this. We both do."

"I know."

"As I said, I wasn´t very supportive of you at times… but you got on my nerves, Ron. It was like we used to... _clash_ together… and what I was feeling was so unlike of what I logically thought."

He suddenly looks deathly serious.

"Did you regret it?"

"What?"

"Feeling this way, fancying me?"

It is a tricky question. I can be utterly romantic and lie. Or I can be honest and clear the air for good. The latter is the only way to move forward.

"I regretted it when you were snogging Lavender in front of me and I cried myself to sleep every single night… and I regretted my regret when you were poisoned and I thought you could have died… and I regretted it again when you left us during the hunt because it meant you had left _me_. I didn't give a damm about Harry in that moment. You left _me_. I was the one needing you."

The sobs start again and I choke in every word. "And I was sure that that was it. That I would never see you again… and I asked myself if I had imagined all those moments… when you held my hand at night, when you hugged me, the way you looked and touched me when we danced at the wedding or in the middle of the chaos in the tent. I looked back to when we bickered when looking for food and the Horcruxes and everything. When you didn't have the locket around your neck, there were little moments when I felt this… _bond _between us… but then you left… and I couldn´t breathe."

Now I can't feel the air reach my lungs, but I have to say it all. "I just can't breathe when you're not with me, Ron!"

He is scared. I can see it in the way he crushes me to his chest trying to control my spasms and in the way big tears stream down his face.

"Oh, Hermione… please… I´m so sorry. I didn't know I was affecting you this way, I swear it. I didn´t know..."

It takes me a long time to calm down and collect myself. All the while Ron is hugging me and just rubbing myback in a soothing way.

"We don't need to keep talking right now, you know."

"I know, but I want to."

"Okay… so I guess I need to say a few things too."

"I'm listening."

"Yes, right. When you said that after the Ball you felt that something change, well… I felt it, too. But I didn't understand what it was. You…"

His hands leave my body and he moves them in front of his face as if trying to catch an accurate expression. Finally he holds his fists. Tightly. "You _annoyed_ me, Hermione; and most of the time I felt you were doing it on purpose just for having the pleasure of wounding me up… and I couldn´t avoid the challenge. I was never able to avoid your provocations. It was beyond me…. and, against everything you might believe, I assure you I have lots _and lots_ of self-control when it comes to you."

He looks at me sharper and bolder than ever and my heart skips two beats. I _do_ understand what he is saying.

My body has been tortured. I still feel weak and dizzy, but the heat coursing trough me right now could very possibly rival the flames of Gryffindor common room´s fireplace.

"Oh…"

His blush is almost purple but he doesn't look ashamed. He looks radiant, honest, and I melt with love for him.

"Yes, that... Well, that´s one of the reasons I spent years staying away from you, trying not to touch you, because I knew… I know…" He takes a deep breath and makes up his mind." I know that once I start touching you, I won´t want to stop. Ever."

It's taking me huge effort not to faint just from excitement.

"But you do touch me. Since Dumbledore´s funeral we became closer, more… _physical_ with each other."

"It´s not enough."

I will not faint; but his directness just leaves me speechless.

"Please, don't think I'm some kind of pervert or something… I mean that at some point all the banter we've had over the years become something I just couldn't control. Everything was so confusing… because I always felt I didn´t have any opportunity with you but, at the same time, I had the impression that there was something between us, something stronger than the bickering and the harsh words… there were these moments when we were alone… when it just was the two of us, and we _did_ share things."

"I know… that was a part I really missed when you were with… her."

His expression fills with guilt.

"I missed you every minute during that… fiasco. And deep down you know I´m saying the truth. Because I kept staring at you when I thought you weren't looking and I know that sometimes you caught my eye… and you stared back at me as if you wanted to curse me."

"I _did_ want to curse you, Ron."

He looks at me intently and then it is his turn to bare his soul.

"I wanted to be your first kiss." He closes his eyes briefly, it's like he's looking for courage for his confession. "I wanted it _so_ badly. But when I came to terms with myself about that, it had already happened. You had been kissed by a man I couldn't compete with."

"You didn't need to compete."

"Please, just let me finish." He takes a deep breath. "I felt betrayed, and jealous, and angry; and Lavender appeared from nowhere paying attention to me, flattering my ego, and it was the perfect chance to show you, and everybody else, that I was important too, that there was also somebody interested in snogging me. And I made a fool of myself allowing her to cling around me all the time and giving that cheap display… of saliva. And when I knew you had gone to Slughorn´s party with that wanker and then you didn´t come home for the Holidays… it was all too much."

"I went home for the Holidays. I went to my _own_ home."

"You know what I mean. The Burrow is your home, too."

Resist. I must resist. He is being too sweet, but we need to finish this conversation.

"As I was saying, and I´m not proud of that, I didn´t know how to get rid of her. She kept clinging on, you weren´t talking to me, and I was a coward. With both of you. She deserved the truth… and you deserved an explanation. Then, the poisoning thing happened and I was just so relieved about having you back that I let the poor girl come to her senses by herself. And she wasn't stupid. She just… understood."

"Ron…"

"Yes?"

"Did you…" I dread the answer but I must ask. Otherwise it will always be a shadow for me ready to jump at the tiniest argument. I just can´t tolerate _not knowing_. "Did you let your _self-control_ snap with her?"

"What? No! It would have been low even for a git like me! I was angry, Hermione. But I was angry _with you_… even though Lavender was quite… straight forwarded, I wouldn't have taken advantage of her like that."

I offended him. Now I feel ashamed. And I´m murmuring again.

"I know you wouldn't. I just needed to hear it from you."

"I felt like… _cheating _on you just because I snogged Lavender." His gaze is clear and soft, and his voice just above a whisper. "I wouldn´t have been disloyal to you in any other way with her."

The tears. I will burst into tears again, so I just nod and I try to lighten the mood.

"Just one last question… how straight forwarded exactly was she?"

He laughs one of his wonderful laughs and I´m taken in the shape of that grin.

"Enough to scare a man who wasn't interested. Believe me."

We remain quiet for a while, just letting all our confessions settle in. And I realized that the worst part hasn't come yet.

"Ron… I need to know what happened with the locket." I fix him with a deep look. "I need to know why you accused me of choosing Harry."

For a moment, he stares at the sea without answering.

"I know you need to know… and I'm not going to make a long story of it, but I promise I'll tell you the truth."

I look for his hand in a gesture of comfort. In fact, I'm seeking comfort for the two of us.

"I know you will."

"I… in some way I had been jealous of Harry for a while. For years, I'd say. I was jealous because he was famous, and he got all the attention, and… Harry is like my brother, Hermione, I need you to know that."

"I do."

"I shared my family with him… I'd give my life for him… I´m sorry for the hard life he had… and I´m sorry for the shitty fate he faced, and I´d go with him to the end of the world because he was, _he is_, my first and best mate… but when I thought that you could fall for him and he for you… I just couldn´t handle it."

"Why did you think that?"

"Because I can share everything with Harry… but I can't share you."

"Ron, you always _shared_ me with Harry."

"Yes, and that all was fine until I started… until I started to feel _different_ about you and… and you two always got along so nicely that I started to fear that you could end up together."

"Harry is in love with Ginny! You know that."

"I know. Now I know it for sure."

"Why now?"

"Because the locket took the worst from me, Hermione. When I wore it I had almost bled out and all my fears were taken to the surface… and before I destroyed it, the damm thing showed me my nastiest nightmare."

"What? I don't understand…"

"It showed me you and Harry together. Kissing. Quite intimately."

"Uh..?"

"And I almost fainted… No, no, that´s no true… I felt such rage… for a moment it was _him_, not me. And he wanted me to kill Harry."

"Oh, Ron."

"And then I don´t know from where I found the strength, but I ripped it. And I cried like a kid. And Harry talked to me. And everything was suddenly clear."

I feel dizzy again, but now it's from these awful revelations. I need to sit down for a bit because I'm too drained to remain on my feet, so I motion Ron to take a seat with his back on some rocks and I recline on him.

We just _need_ to absorb this. I need to internalize the truth. He needs to face the fact that he _told_ me.

"I think that when wearing the locket we were giving him information in some way."

"Very possibly we were."

"It affected the three of us… well, it affected me the worst, but somehow _he _got to know our flaws. He turned my fears against me and he got to tear me apart from Harry and from you…"

"… and he knew that we couldn't be without you. He knew that without you my relationship with Harry would be seriously damaged."

Suddenly, he is smiling. "What?"

"Nothing. It´s just Harry told me something like that, too."

"Because it´s true."

"I know."

I rest my hand on his cheek and he closes his eyes, clearly overwhelmed by my touch.

"I´m so sorry you suffered so much, Ron."

"Me? I´m so sorry _you_ suffered so much." His voice breaks and he sighs. "I would do anything to take _everything_ that happened to you back…"

"Shhh… We are going to get through this… no matter what, we always took care of each other."

"And I promise that I´ll always take care of you. Next time I´ll die, Hermione, but you're not going to get hurt again."

I want to cry. He can't promise that. We are in war. He can't.

"You can't…"

"I don't care if I can or not. I'm promising it to you. Now."

His statement is the perfect blend of stubbornness, braveness, and naiveté. It is Ron at his purest.

"_Now_, just hold me."

His arms are around me before the last word leaves my mouth.

A moment of silence passes and he speaks again.

"I still want to strangle Krum, you know. Sorry if I sound barbaric but that's the truth."

I smile at his eruption. I smile at him for still being Ron.

And for him being more mine than ever.

* * *

Days have passed by. And they have passed by too fast.

Now we met ourselves at the launch of our more perilous voyage. Breaking into Gringotts is the craziest plan ever. It also seems the only plan possible, and I really can´t wait for what is waiting for us at the other side.

I want Harry safe and free, I want my parents back, I want The Weasleys reunited but, more than anything, I want what Ron and I have being building during these weeks here.

I have nightmares almost every night. You can't pretend to visit hell and escape free from damage. It wouldn't be real. So there are many nights when I ask for Ron to stay with me till I fall asleep or I tiptoe to his sleeping bag in the sitting room.

He doesn't ask anything. In fact, there are nights when he isn't totally awake, but he reaches for me in the dark and settles my back over his chest.

There was a time when I was not one for romantic fairy tales, but _these_ are the times when there is nothing more real or comforting that getting to sleep with my knight's arms around me and his breath on my neck. Times change. And so do we.

Luna's words really worked for me. They were as therapeutic as the long talks I share with Ron almost every day. Talking about the torture is not easy; it makes me feel fragile and needy, two adjectives I've never liked. But talking with him about it got us closer, reinforced our connection in some way. And it is slowly cleaning my spirit.

This doesn't mean we've stopped bickering. We're gradually turning into a couple, but we are still stubborn Ron and know-it-all Hermione. The little detail that we are mad for each other is a plus.

The only good thing about being spied by Griphook is that his pseudo-persecution inside the house favors a lot of free time for Ron and me to spend together. The arrogant Goblin thinks that keeping an eye on the three of us will prevent any secret plan. If only he knew what our friendship has been trough, maybe he would be _even_ more careful.

_We three are special_. And I know so with total modesty and total pride. We are so special that You-Know-Who has tried everything to tear us apart, but we are still here. Together till the very end.

Nothing has happened between Ron and me more than hugs and hand-holding, but those gestures of affection are now often and natural. We do know we have a task to accomplish as a priority and we are going to do it, although I must admit I still blush a bit when Ron insists on rubbing his thumb over the inside of my wrist while he holds my hand. That sort of caress is _not_ friendly at all. And he knows it.

Smug boy.

God bless him.

* * *

I hear a knock on the door and fear. So many things could go wrong before dawn. If one of the boys is looking for me it must be important.

I find Ron at the door. Barefoot and without any signs of sleep.

"Ron… what is it? Are you okay?"

"Yes. I just wanted to see you."

"Now? We need to rest for a couple of hours. Tomorrow…"

"I know, but I couldn´t sleep."

He is grinning like a fool and it is… weird.

"Do you really feel fine?"

"Yeah…yeah… I just… there is something I never finished telling you while we were here..."

Oh. That. No now, please. It sounds like a goodbye. I don´t want a goodbye now.

"No, please."

He arches his eyebrows in surprise

"What?"

"If you say it now, I'm afraid…"

He smiles again. He smiles with his whole body. I don´t kow how he does it, but even his flaming hair seems to smile.

"I was going to say that we are going to be brilliant."

"Oh! I hope so! Breaking into Gringotts is…"

"We are going to be brilliant _at being together_, Hermione."

This isn't what I was expecting. This is the more fantastic, endearing, and sexy thing he ever told me. And I want to push him over the wall and snog him. Now.

He keeps hovering over me, invading my personal space, and looking ecstatic at my delighted smile. _But he is not doing anything more._

"This is _killing_ me… but as I know how much you like to be a step ahead, I´m going to leave it up to you."

"You are not going to kiss me?" It sounds like an accusation because it _is_ an accusation.

He is grinning. _Grinning._

"No… it's up to you. I´m sure you´ll find the perfect moment."

He is taking revenge for all those moments he assured I had wounded him up _on purpose_. I´m totally sure of it.

I must play it cool while I still have any control over me, otherwise I´ll be begging for a kiss. And that is not happening.

"Okay… fine… You´re right. I´ll find the moment."

"I know you will."

If I wouldn´t love him so much…

"Well, good night then."

"Good night."

He retreats for a moment but suddenly comes back with astonishing force and rests one arm at each side of my head over the wooden door.

Yes! Yes! I knew he couldn't resist.

"One more thing."

"Yes…?" If I weren't so turned on, I think I would just die about sounding so pleading.

He surprises me again because he doesn't talk to the silent room; he whispers his secret in my ear, making it more intimate, goose-bumps and eye-closed inducing.

"Just so you to know, you and me together… we are going to make the walls shatter."

_We are going to make the walls shatter_.

I opened my eyes just to see him retreat once more time with the hottest look ever, and I recover my breath enough to stumble into my room with the certainty that I'm not going to sleep tonight. Because he has just given me a glimpse of what we could have together. Of what we _will_ have together.

And obviously, definitely, _blissfully_, we are going to honor it.

˜˜˜˜˜˜Fin˜˜˜˜˜˜


End file.
